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Monsanto official Beaten by farmers in India over Failed GMO Bt Cotton Seeds

Salem-News.com

Special thanks to the Vidarbha Times for information in this report.

India has been in a bad way over Monsanto's practices

(NAGPUR ) - We have reported in the past an alarming suicide rate among farmers in India that is connected to the failure of American GMO (genetically modified organism) cotton seeds.

Monsanto, the U.S. company responsible for Agent Orange, a cancer-causing chemical sprayed on the jungles of Vietnam, is now in the GMO food and seed business.

Monsanto stands accused of having an international monopoly of the notorious bio-engineered Bt cotton seeds.

Advocates for the agricultural industry say they never dreamed of the tragedy to come, when a 2005 decision was announced to allow the seeds in India.

Now an agrarian crisis has hit Maharashtra itself thanks to the Monsanto program.

Farmers are buying 11 packets of 450 gm per hectare as per the company’s guide for the recommended “population method” but the sudden demand and ill-managed Indian sub agents have brought the company big trouble as 50% of the Bt cotton seeds failed to germinate even after it’s second sowing.

Now cries are being heard in other part of India too.

The Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti farmers advocacy group has approached the local state Govt. of Maharashtra to arrange a high level probe of all complaints received from farmers of west Vidarbha where more than 10,000 cotton farmers have committed suicide since June 2005 after the introduction of the killer Bt cotton seeds in this region.

Around Rs.10,000 crore has been pumped in by Indian and state Govt. to bailout cotton farmers from the agrarian crisis which is likely to get worse if corrective action are not taken immediately, Kishore Tiwari of Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti said today.

The Monsanto Bt cotton seed crisis heated up in early June when all Bt cotton seeds ordered by Maharashtra dealers sold out it to the adjourning Andhra farmers and there was no seed available to cater to the local market.

Monsanto sub-agents had failed to respond to a state govt. request, and then suddenly Bt cotton seeds were freely available in the market by the third week of June.

A source supply was immediately discovered and Yavatmal police raided the house of Nerendra Indurkar in the very small village of Munjala and reportedly caught him red handed packing local cotton seed in the pockets of branded Bt cotton.

Police have sealed the advanced imported pocket packing machines and thousands of packets of Bt cotton seeds being sold on the premium.

However the alleged culprit, Nerendra Indurkar, was allowed to go without any interrogation.

Officials of the American Bt cotton seeds giant in India were called and facts were shared but they denied any link with this bogus Bt cotton seed supply racket.

When news of a Monsanto senior official's arrival from Mumbai reached the nearby village of Munjala, cotton farmers of the village Karanji, about 140 K.m. from Nagpur located the Monsanto official and took him to their field where a complete failure of ‘Paras Sudarshan’ Bt cotton seed was shown to him.

When the Monsanto representative failed to admit the lapse, he was severely beaten up by the farmers.

It was reported that even a local agriculture officer did not come to his rescue.

This, from accounts in daily papers in Vidarbha and the Marathwada region of Maharashtra where more than 4 million hectares under Bt cotton cultivation are reporting the flood of bogus seed supplied local agents of American cotton seed MNC giant Monsanto.

At this point, although the situation was reported, the administration has failed to take any action of this serious issue.

So, Vidarbha Janandolan Samiti has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Prathiraj Chavan to order a judicial enquiry into the supply racket of bogus BT. cotton seed in Maharashtra, and also to start criminal action against the culprit, Tiwari added.

Exactly where Monsanto's trail across the globe that has left so many dead and dying begins is not known, nor is the future this model agency of the American military industrial complex known.

The company has never accounted for its role in the deaths of so many Vietnamese and American and Australian Vietnam Veterans who have fought so hard for so government accountability in return.

Agent Orange doesn't just affect the person who comes into contact with it, it goes on to affect their children, and their children's children. I suspect there are a great number of people who cracked a smile when they read this account of a Monsanto official being beaten up in an Indian farm field. Violence is never a good answer, but particularly in light of the horrific, staggering suicide rate, it is understandable why some might embrace it as a last resort.

All comments and messages are approved by people and self promotional links or unacceptable comments are denied.

Anonymous November 16, 2012 8:22 am (Pacific time)

unfortunately, if it was 10 milion suicides maybe the rest of the nation would do something with the greedy goverment that cashed in on the contract with monsanto and by something I mean some severe consequences, preferably guillotine.

Steph May 10, 2012 2:26 pm (Pacific time)

If we did that here, they would put us in prison. Our government is trying to kill us off like rodents.
I'm glad the farmers are beating these idiots up!

Patriotic August 15, 2011 6:52 am (Pacific time)

The most dangerous, evil and demonic weapon that has ever been created or promoted, is the perversion of nature's genetic information. This war criminals must be exterminated with absolute ruthlessness and equivalent malice

Betty July 26, 2011 7:47 am (Pacific time)

Stephen - I would like to know. I have seen King Corn and tracked Monsanto via the internet. I have to say that this seems like a horrible horror movie. I hate horror movies, but monsanto wins the oscar. I believe if I did not trust God I could sit in a corner and strave to death. I am not religious. There is a difference. And yes the UN is apart with monsanto. Go to the UN's website and read the area on agriculture. So All government is corrupted? At least this appears to be the case.
I still don't understand why anyone would sign a contract to use seed. I see this snake in the garden. It just so happen this garden is worldwide. And it will get worser. "Who ya with"

RockyMissouri July 20, 2011 12:32 pm (Pacific time)

I am so sorry.....Monsanto is an evil, and no person of conscience can support them....They NEED TO BE SUED OUT OF EXISTENCE...

Indians should say no to any foreign seeds and rely on their own indigenous seeds and techniques if they want to succeed,beware of the politicians who have an interest and a stake in promoting such companies and products with the help of sold out scientific community

deepak July 15, 2011 10:04 pm (Pacific time)

plz banned monsanto in india. Natural things are the best, any modification done in nature lead to severe consequences. wake up farmers and throw away these GM company and any such artificial product.

Pranav July 15, 2011 9:50 pm (Pacific time)

Human Greed at its best

Anonymous July 15, 2011 9:38 pm (Pacific time)

Indians should rely on their indigenous tecniques and reject these foreign elements if they want to succeed also one should beaware of selfish politicians who have an interest in promoting such companies and their products also be sensitive to those scientists who are totally sold out

VelShan July 15, 2011 7:00 pm (Pacific time)

Anyone who claims Monsanto has helped fight against food shortage is insulting humanity. India had 1 Billion people long before Monsanto was born. Indians survived. we did not have TV or cars then. But they did eat to survive. Monsanto has come into India only to seek to take a share of the market and profits. nothing more.

Johnny Genlock July 15, 2011 2:18 pm (Pacific time)

Along with Bt (Bacillis Thuringensis) taking hold and growing inside YOUR gut, . . it did in mine -- Let's get back to the real issue. I mean the REAL real issue. Who in their right mind goes out and designs a terminator seed. These farmers have saved seed and replanted their own, shared with others, and had productive crops for millennia. Now you have an aggressive cross-pollinating (read: contaminating) terminating seed which cannot be re-sown. Monsanto should roast in hell, every single employee who cooperated in this nightmare for 3rd World farmers. "Buy from us or die." "Oh, btw, buy from us and still die."

Anonymous July 15, 2011 9:19 am (Pacific time)

So-called "educated" folks who defend Monsanto: News Flash-- Seeds existed before Monsanto. Nature "genetically modified" them through a process called natural selection! Integrity of plant DNA was preserved and "wild" species of plants are naturally more nutritious. There isn't a food shortage. There is a nutrition shortage. Most "food shortage" comes from 1) Industrialized nations "raping" less developed countries for their resources, thereby some get fat while others starve, 2) Monsanto manipulating the food supply, right down to recently Alfalfa which is a crop that easily cross-pollinates, causing cancers and malformations and "worse," 3) the corrupt U.N.'s failure to live up to their own policies. Nobody would starve if Monsanto ceased to be. Many farmers keep food banks and that is where growers should begin. Make your own or support someone elses. MONSANTO KILLS!

Chris July 15, 2011 1:05 pm (Pacific time)

It is refreshing to see that Indian farmers take matters into their own hands and deliver justice to those that do them wrong. Monsanto is an evil corporation. Was it verified that the suicides of farmers in India were actually suicides? Be careful my human brothers.

Johnny Genlock July 14, 2011 8:57 pm (Pacific time)

BB is an idiot or a liar. I used BT in my "organic" garden years ago and caught the after spray full in the face. It fxxcked up my digestion for four months. Yeah, harmless to humans. Maybe idiot liar is more accurate.

DD July 14, 2011 7:08 pm (Pacific time)

From an American farmer to the Indian farmers: Don't be dependent on others. Grow your own seed. Go organic, your health and wealth will be better for it.

Scott S. July 14, 2011 2:51 pm (Pacific time)

lol, I'm not a Monsanto employee I assure you. Being that we disagree I can see how you'd think that. How could someone possibly have a different opinion of Monsanto? Why don't address my original concern. What if Monsanto stopped selling their GM seeds? How many people would die of starvation? How many Asians and Africans have been saved by GM foods and Monsanto and the Green Movement in general? And as a homework assignment I dare you to ready Percy Schmeiser's testimony and the judges ruling in his trial. There's plenty of blogs, films, documentaries, and articles about him. But my goodness you can learn a lot from court transcrips.

Editor: Food never needed to be viewed this way, American corporate greed is the problem, and war, and the military industrial complex, which Monsanto is well inserted into. The US is in all but one of Africa's 57 countries right now, the US has blown the crap out of the Middle east and the 50's, 60', 70's and 80's were spent destabilizing governments in Central and South America. So why do we have food production problems today? Monsanto and GMO are no answer, in fact nothing in the U.S. is a good answer.

E July 14, 2011 2:47 pm (Pacific time)

So many people with an opinion and I bet not a one has ever stuck a seed in the ground. Love them or hate them Monsanto has done more for food production than any organization on the planet. They've developed seeds with shorter growing times to allow replanting further into the season. They've created seeds that are drought tolerant, seeds that produce more per acre or seeds that resist chemicals to allow better control of weeds. You dont have to love Monsanto, but to disregard the accomplishments they have made in agriculture is to quietly wish starvation upon millions of people. Of course killing those who do not agree with ones viewpoint has always been a staple idea of all dictators and socialist leaders, isnt that right readers?

Editor: Oh we have a few select words and images that come to mind. For me, some particular people come to mind also. One is Bill 'Red' Cheer, another is Jim Cliver, who had the smoothest voice, when he could still talk, when he was not dead from cancer. You want me to go on? I think of Chuck Palazzo, Salem-News.com writer in Da Nang who visits kids suffering from not just agent orange, but the effects that their parents and grandparents experienced, (yay Monsanto!) I think of Nate, son of son of one of my best friends, who suffers from autism, I think of the babies with three arms in Vietnam and wide spaced eyes. I think of the suffering this POS company monsanto caused, the grief, the funerals, the expenses, the government's refusal to even cover your asses in regard to liability. No, I don't think much about monsanto, and then we enter the mad scientist food era? Why am I not surprised that this killer of Americans and Vietnamese (and Korea and many more place, hell, a Marine received a claim recently who never left El Toro during Vietnam) Yup, mean old Tim King always ragging about things, but they aren't insignificant.

rex July 14, 2011 9:08 am (Pacific time)

@bb: What are you talking about? Could you at least provide an example of why you feel the article is anti-American? I know the readers are smart enough not to fall for YOUR blatant distortion of the truth. Anyone who sides with Monsanto can burn in hell. Whether you side with Monsanto because you're intellectually impaired or you're one of the profiteering fat cats at the top, you can go burn in hell for your transgressions against this planet and the species therein. Stupidity is no longer an excuse. Not when it's my peril.

Gyrate July 14, 2011 9:01 am (Pacific time)

If you engage in enough spin eventually the other side with throw away its morals as well. The next thing you know a random employee is being beaten in a field through no fault of his own.

So, the problem is that Monsanto didn't ship enough seeds to India to fill the demand? The demand was high enough to sell out the supply (I guess the seeds work that much better?), so a local guy starts packing local seeds in Monsanto bags, and selling them as BT seeds. When those seeds failed, it was Monsanto's fault? Are you saying they gave him the packaging and the machine? Wouldn't it be easier to ship the seeds? No uncomfortable import questions on the seeds, but there would be import records of a packing machine.... As for an "advanced pocket packing machine" I'd love to see pictures of it, just to see how advanced a heat sealer really can be. Oh, and next time you use what ever passed for a translation, you might want to read the story before you print it.

Editor: Yeah well we do the best we can, the story is being viewed by tens of thousands, too bad the news died in America, we are often the only ones who care. Salem-News.com consistently covers the tragedy connected to Monsanto. Frankly the fact that they exist at all is amazing with the track record they have

Scott S. July 13, 2011 2:54 pm (Pacific time)

So some idiot goes and counterfiets Monsanto seeds and Monsanto gets the blame? I think next year Monsanto should boycott India. Make them try to feed their nation with expensive low yeild non-Monsanto seeds and see how they do. (Did anyone who comment even read the entire article? The author sure did put the facts far down from the start so folks wouldn't see them. Cancer and Agent Orange? What does that have to do with the story?)

Editor: I get so sick of you Monsanto employees trying to pull this BS off, please! Monsanto created Agent Orange, it kills and causes cancer and we cover it regularly and we always direct the blame where it belongs. This company has caused so much harm to the world that it can never be tallied, and man is this story ever getting viewed, I guess people find the concept of justice very interesting. Agent Orange and cancer follow Monsanto like a stink that can't be scrubbed away with all the soap on earth..

chris July 13, 2011 4:45 am (Pacific time)

I used to fell sympathetic to those just doing their jobs but the greed is out of hand. What America needs is a Reign of Terror and Guillotine to rise against the elite classes that are holding our govt hostage in expanding corporate power while pissing on the workers and poor. I've f'n had it.

daprof July 13, 2011 8:45 am (Pacific time)

Death to Monsanto! Great job! Line all them Monsanto employees up and start your public hanging.

Malama July 12, 2011 9:45 pm (Pacific time)

It sounds like BB and bb are agents of Monsanto. Monsanto seed is disgusting. It's not profitmaking for farmers and it's dangerous to eat or even wear on your skin their cotton which is embedded with chemicals.A while ago I read a Wikileaks that Indian government was manipulated by US Secretary of State Dept into signing agreements to force or manipulate farmers into Monsanto seeding. Tell me, what is wrong with God's natural seeds? Nothing! The Anglo-American banksters want to control every single last breath we take and morsel we eat! Do not settle for this farmers! Demand NATURAL FREE SEED! Am I correct the the evil monarch of Great Britain owns India? The monarch is part of the problem. They work hand in hand with the American bankers. OUST THEM!

Editor: Thank you Malama, I'm glad we carried this, I believe you are on the right trail and the U.S. influence in the world is, hopefully, waning in the case of the UK. It can't happen too fast. I sometimes think we are the only U.S. news group that cares about this very serious subject.

BB is a fitting name for you. BB as in Big Brother. Corporate, government shill or just brainwashed. Your lies, whether intentional or from ignorance are hurting people. I worked with BTi in an entomology lab. It does NOT only kill worms. It is also an effective form of mosquito control AND cockroaches. You know...those filthy little creatures that are nearly impossible to kill off?
Let me tell the fine folk here HOW BTi works. It functions as an endocrine disruptor and growth inhibitor hormone. While adult cockroaches who are sprayed with BTi will scurry away apparently 'unharmed' their offspring will not be so fortunate. No, they will be deformed. Many are albino. And most significantly...they are born STERILE.
Sure, a few will reproduce but repeat applications will assure that birth defects continue to increase and sterility becomes homogeneous. Then one day a few months later...VIOLA! You will look around and *gasp!* no more roaches.
Population exterminated.
And by splicing the DNA it is rendered even more potent than simply making repeat applications with a spray.
Any and all of you are welcome to call me a liar on this, but I adjure everyone who reads this to first obtain some BTi and conduct their own study on roaches and mosquitoes to learn the truth of it yourself.
I am sick of these murderers--YES MURDERS lying to you telling you this garbage is safe.
I saw with my own eyes in the lab and in the field application--as have many farmers who have fed BTi corn to their pigs who subsequently gave birth to empty bags of water or were sterile, who allowed sheep to graze BTi cotton stubble and they died, who permitted buffalo to graze BTi cotton stubble and THEY died also--we have all seen the sterilizing and deadly results of BTi.
What makes you think that you as a human are exempt?
Do your homework on the effects of BTi on humans, pigs (which are very similar to humans which is why they are used to grow human organs for transplant) and ruminant animals.
Save yourselves farmers. save your fellow humans and the beautiful creatures that share this earth with you.
Stop listening to the corporations and goverments and others who stand to gain from the lie.
RESEARCH BTi YOURSELVES AND LEARN THE TRUTH!
Save our only Earth.

Irish Republican Army July 12, 2011 4:32 pm (Pacific time)

One could theorize it would be more effective to pay a friendly visit to the local Monsanto headquarters and, after calmly stating why you have come, kill everyone present. Real change you bet your brown ass you can believe in!

Editor: Hmmm, just to be clear, we do not suggest killing anyone. This is IRA's suggestion of a theory based on principles of logic and applied thought, right IRA?

PP July 12, 2011 2:31 pm (Pacific time)

Perhaps you should read the horror stories American Farmers have had with Monsanto Corn bb. Maybe if you looked a little longer and harder you would see the vast majority of press articles pass over Monsanto complicity in ruining farmers from Asia to N. America and beyond.

Not BB July 12, 2011 2:15 pm (Pacific time)

BB I am American... and this is not anti-american propaganda, this is simply the ugly truth of a purely evil company. The history is all there if you'd bother to look it up. Just make sure you do it after work so your bosses at Monsanto don't catch you digging up dirt while on the company's dime.

Mark London UK July 12, 2011 11:25 am (Pacific time)

Readers may find this link worthwhile reading. Note comments following the article.

Take Control People Of Inadia, Wake Up To The Horror Of Monsanto. There only Business Is To Enslave You In To Using There Evil Seeds That Cannot Reproduce So You Have To Purchase From Them Again and Agaian. Good On The Farmers. Go To Monsanto's Head Office and 'Protest' - Kick Them Out Of India - There Presence Will Ruin The Country Agriculure.

BB July 12, 2011 8:28 am (Pacific time)

This article contains many incorrect statements and presumptions. BT is not "killer". Only to lepidopterans (worms). BT is naturally occuring. BT is harmless to humans. Monsanto is not in the "racket" of selling non-BT cotton seeds in packages marked "BT". This is rediculous. How could any business expect to grow if they did this? Does anyone really think any business would do this? And further more, why do you suppose farmers in India even want to buy BT seeds? Because they work! We also don't know the full story on why seeds didn't come up. If they salesman was in fact packaging "local" seed, that was not what was supposed to be in the packs, how can you blame Monsanto for these seeds not emerging? Blame the crook who was substituting them for the real thing. And many times, just so you know, farmers experience failed germination of seed. Cotton seed, especially, is very sensitive to environmental conditions when planted. We don't know the full story here. This kind of reporting is typical of foreign, anti-American newspapers. I hope your readers are smart enough to see this for what it is. Blaming Indian suicides on Monsanto is also utterly insane! After reading many articles on the government involvement in Indian agriculture, I think it is more likely where you should point your finger.

bb July 12, 2011 8:02 am (Pacific time)

Very one sidedly written. BT is great technology. If the guy was in fact selling a false product, he should be punished. There is a reason farmers in India want bt technology. And blaming Monsanto for the "racket" is pure propaganda. What company wants to sell a product that is not as advertised? This article is anti-American b.s..I hope your readers are smart enough to figure this out.

Stephen July 12, 2011 6:36 am (Pacific time)

thanks for this article. A couple of months ago, I asked the owner of the local store,(born in India), if he knew that the farmers were committing suicide. He said "they are not very learned"...then I asked him what music he listens to. He wrote down his favorite. I looked it up on youtube, and its nothing more than american pop culture music, but from people with brown skin. He has become americanized.. It is of my opinion, that anyone who watches tv, is nothing but a slave to the media owners. Turn off your tv. This story broke, over a year ago. Thanks for catching up salem-news. The problem is, you are still way behind. And what is coming? Why should I even bother...you wont believe me anyway.